


Tale of Two Princes

by VoidGlasses



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Canon Compliant, M/M, Viktor with a K, prince AU, royals au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-04
Updated: 2017-07-24
Packaged: 2018-10-14 18:18:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10541919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VoidGlasses/pseuds/VoidGlasses
Summary: Viktor Nikiforov, Crown Prince of Petersburgia, is the most sought after Prince of all the kingdoms. He's famous, gorgeous, and rumored to be rich. For years, he's bought into and played up this image, but these days he's losing interest in this life. It isn't until a chance run in with Prince Yuuri of Yutopia that Prince Viktor realizes what he's been missing. This tale follows the spontaneous Prince Viktor through his journeys with Prince Yuuri.A Royals AU that follows the progression of the YOI episodes, for the most part.





	1. A Hopeful Letter

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone! This is my first fic so I hope you like it, I'm going to try to do weekly updates, not sure which day yet though. We'll see. Anyway this fic will be light and fluffy and cute overall so enjoy!
> 
> Edit: Huge thank you to Katyaton and a-day-in-a-fandom on Tumblr for taking the time to not only read this over, but also provide so many wonderful edits and suggestions!
> 
> Thanks!

Prince Viktor stood in front of his full length, tri fold mirror, contemplating the arduous task at hand: another ball set up by the King and Queen in hopes to find him a suitor. The King and Queen had gifted him a commissioned outfit made one of a kind just for this event. The torso was a fair pink with overlaying robes of deep fuchsia, held on by gold embellishments that complimented the crown resting delicately on his head. The trousers were a dark navy, tailored perfectly to accentuate his figure. He looked himself over in the mirrors. Though the ensemble radiated confidence, Viktor couldn’t help but frown. He had been searching for years for a suitor, throwing extravagant parties for everyone and anyone to attend. The prince used to enjoy attending and meeting with other royal families, in fact, it used to be his favorite princely duty. He would dance through the night and smile with jubilant laughter with faces new and old. These days, however, attending felt more like a chore. Viktor sighed, straightened his posture, and left his chamber to meet King Yakov and Queen Lilia at the top of the grand staircase leading to the dance hall.

“Viktor,” Yakov began as the Prince approached, “Don’t look so solemn. We do this with your best interest, with the kingdom’s best interest in mind. Now straighten up and greet your guests with a smile.” Viktor released a soft sigh and complied. He took the arms of the King and Queen in his hands, and the royal family slowly descended toward the crowded room.

They stopped three quarters of the way down as a trumpet blared across the room. The royal trumpeter, Christophe, announced their entrance. 

“Ladies and gentlemen, Kings and Queens, Princes and Princesses. May you please welcome our hosts, King Yakov and Queen Lilia, and the eligible Prince Viktor of Petersburgia.” A thunderous applause rose from the floor as the royal family made their way to their thrones. The prince crossed his legs and hunched over, already bored and disheartened. After so many failed attempts to find a suitor, Viktor had no desire to join the cacophony of dancing voices. He searched the room for the trumpeter, Christophe, in a desperate attempt to summon his friend. Christophe, while officially a staff member, had been with the royal family for years and eventually became Viktor’s right hand man. After finally making eye contact, the Prince made a miniscule, yet desperate wave, beckoning Chris to approach the thrones. Christophe nodded, and snaked his way through the crowd. 

“Viktor,” He cooed upon reaching the Prince, “Are you alright? For the world’s most eligible prince you have the look of a sheep farmer on your face.” Christophe leaned over the side of the throne, resting his hands on the Prince’s shoulders. “Go dance, let yourself go for once. You always sit here and pout.” Viktor turned to him, then to the dancing crowd, and he knew Christophe was right. How was he supposed to find a suitor without at least making some sort of attempt. 

Viktor stood and hugged his friend, pulling him close. “Don’t steal my dance partners this time,” he kidded. Chris winked, releasing the Prince to an awaiting group of heirs eagerly awaiting the chance to sweep the Prince off his feet.

~

The night seemed to drag on, and with it diminished Viktor’s spirits. He had been dancing and chatting with royalty for hours, but none sweeping him away. He said a polite thank you and goodbye to his current dance partner and moved back towards his throne. He didn’t make it more than half way when a daring young man threw himself against the Prince. Viktor froze, eyes wide with shock. The young man had messy dark locks covering his eyes and skewed glasses. His robes were disheveled, and a few of his garments had seemingly vanished. He clung to Viktor’s torso, swaying to the music, mumbling something incomprehensible to Viktor.

“Prince Viktor!” He exclaimed, a small burp escaping along with the smell of champagne. “Prince Viktor you are so handsome! Are you looking for suitors? So am I! Let’s get married!” The young man slurred his words as he tried to get a still frozen Viktor to dance. Viktor looked down at him. He had seen this man before, they had shared an amazing dance together earlier. It was by far the best dance of the night. Christophe walked up behind him, giving a low hum. The trumpeter was also missing some clothing articles, but showed no shame in the fact by the look on his face. 

“Viktor I see you’ve found a charmer. He’s quite a fantastic dancer, very flexible.” Chris moved to Viktors side, one hand resting on his own hip and the other on Viktor’s shoulder. 

“Chris! So you’re the one who stole him from me. I thought I told you not to.” Viktor laughed, Chris never did listen to him. 

“You two were quite the dancing duo out there...” His words trailed off and he left as soon as he came, giving Viktor a wink. He turned his attention back to the young man now grinding on his hips. The prince was so entranced that he hardly noticed a young fellow run up, trying to pull the drunken man from his torso.

“Prince Viktor! How wonderful to make your acquaintance. My name is Phichit Chulanont, and this is Prince Yuuri. Please excuse him, he was feeling too shy to talk to you so he had a few too many drinks and…” he trailed off as he placed a crown back on Yuuri’s head. Phichit took hold of the man’s arms, separating the two princes. 

Viktor took in the perplexing sight. So many questions rattled his brain. He started with the most important one first. “Where are you from?”

“We’ve traveled from Yutopia. Again, my deepest apologies for disrupting your beautiful party.” He bowed, and quickly left with Yuuri’s arm draped over his shoulder. Viktor stood where they left him, more questions on his mind that he desperately wanted answered. Had Phichit and prince Yuuri not left him watching them leave, he’d have spent the rest of the ball asking. Viktor marveled at them with the brightest sparkle in his eyes as they hurried away. Of all the royal heirs he had met that night, he just knew in his heart that Yuuri was the one he wanted to know more. 

~

Yuuri rested in the bay window of his chamber, gazing out at the beautiful waterfront on the distant horizon past the village. The flowers hat started blooming, giving the hills rich hues of spring colors. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, savouring the sweetness of Spring. He found himself interrupted by a sudden knock on his door.

“Yuuri? It’s Phichit, may I come in?” Yuuri gave a soft spoken yes, and Phichit pushed the door open, making his way across the stretch tiled flooring between he and Prince Yuuri.

“Phichit, how nice to see you, I was just admiring the first signs of Spring. What can I do to assist you?” Yuuri made a half turn to better see his guest. 

“My Prince, it’s Prince Viktor of Petersburgia, he’s sent a letter asking you to visit his home. From the language I’d say he’s quite enamoured with you.” Phichit held out a folded paper. The folds were crisp, and in the middle was a seal holding the top closed. 

Yuuri’s cheeks flushed. He was flattered and confused. He hadn’t remembered meeting Viktor. He had heard his name many times in diplomatic meetings and around parties, he’d even admired Viktor’s seemingly effortless ability as a leader since he was younger, but he never had the courage to talk to him. Yuuri averted his eyes, looking back out at the rolling hills. 

“Please find a way to kindly decline, Phichit, I’m sure this is just a mistake. Thank you.” Though he was facing the beautiful scenery, it was the last thing on his mind. Yuuri was at a loss for words. There didn’t seem to be a combination the would succinctly describe his melange of feelings. Prince Viktor wanted to see him? Why? Yuuri thought he was hardly at the same status as Viktor. He began to panic, his breathing shallow and increasing in speed. He dropped his head into his hands as tears formed in the corners of his eyes. 

Phichit rushed to close the gap between them. This hadn’t been Yuuri’s first panic attack, and Phichit was well knowledged on how to help. He took a seat next to the Prince and gave him a gentle, one armed hug. Neither one said a word, both just sitting in silence as Yuuri slowly regained control of his breathing and his sobs. 

"Thank you, Phichit. I’m okay now. Please draft a note to Viktor and have it sent to Petersburgia.” 

Yuuri listened to the shuffling of fabrics as Phichit stood, leaving the window seat. He heard the door open and close, releasing a sigh he hadn’t realized he was holding in. 

~  
Back in his own room, Phichit sat himself at the wooden desk near the room’s entrance. On the desk was a stack of blank papers, a fountain pen, and a small jar of India ink. He contemplated what to write to the Prince of Petersburgia. He recounted the night of the ball, the one where Prince Yuuri released his inhibitions and asked Viktor to marry him. He thought of how Yuuri had been infatuated with Viktor since the first multi-kingdom convening he had been to with King and Queen Katsuki. Phichit knew what he had to do. He placed a sheet in front of him and began composing a reply to Prince Viktor. He wrote with great fervor, causing discontinuity in his usually pristine penmanship.

“Dear Prince Viktor of Petersburgia,

Unfortunately, Prince Yuuri of Yutopia is not able to travel, but should you wish to visit our home and stay for a while, I’m sure Yuuri would deeply appreciate it.  
Yours sincerely,  
Phichit Chulanont”

He folded and sealed the letter with wax, rushing out his room to hand Minami the carrier the letter to ensure a speedy delivery. He ran through the halls, calling Minami’s name at every room he passed. When he finally found the teen lounging in the front garden, he was completely out of breath.

“Get this to the prince of petersburgia as fast as you can,” he declared. Minami took the letter from Phichit's hands, placing it in a leather satchel he had hanging from his left shoulder, and left immediately. Phichit watched as Minami mounted his horse, riding off swiftly on his journey to Petersburgia. He thought of Viktor, of the letter the prince would soon be reading, and hoped that Prince Viktor would agree to follow his heart to Yutopia.


	2. A New Beginning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minami arrives, Prince Viktor Reacts™, and Chris is still very much himself ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back! Thank you all for waiting for this (long overdue) update. As always, a huge thank you to Katyaton for her patience and willingness to edit my chapters. I would be a jumbled mess without her editing skills. 
> 
> Speaking of updates, here's some:  
> \- So sorry I took so long, I had some family stuff and some health stuff get in the way.  
> \- Updates every other week hopefully. I'm out of school now so I should have more time to focus into this.  
> \- I switched the styling of paragraphs breaks to be cleaner (yay!)  
> \- I'm going to try to keep this relatively canon compliant. of course, there are some things that will differ.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

Minami stood just outside the grand double doors separating him from the throne room. He reached out and felt the wood and all its detailed carvings of elegant, swooping curls and intricate latticework. The raised areas were a faded gold, and the background was a hand painted navy blue. The overall style was different to the doors in Yutopia, with the exception of the gold detailing. As the royal messenger for Prince Yuuri, Minami had the opportunity to see many different and exquisite doors that sequestered royalty away from the rest of the world. It was the main reason he loved his job: every place he visited provided new and exciting stories for Minami to bring back with him. 

The petite messenger startled, realizing that he had been staring at the doors, zoning out. He removed his hand from the doors and grasped the letter firmly. Minami had been given specific instructions: place the letter directly into Prince Viktor’s hands. He took a deep breath; meeting royalty was not common for messengers. More often than not, they were stopped at the front entrance and any parcels and letters were given to the royal family by residing staff. He straightened his posture, exhaled a breath to release tension, and knocked on the door. 

There was a nanosecond of silence. Minami froze, arms stiff by his sides. Had he gone to the incorrect room? Was this a bad time? His mind whirred a million thoughts in that brief moment of silence. 

Then, footsteps. Minami released a sigh. He listened as the stranger, likely Prince Viktor, made their way to the doors. 

“Just a moment!” An upbeat voice called over the sound of footsteps. Whoever was behind those doors seemed rather eager to greet their guest. Minami regained his composure, as well as his grip on the letter, preparing the best he could to come face to face with the Crown Prince of Petersburgia himself.

The doors swung open into the room, revealing the most beautiful and elegant man Minami had ever seen. The prince was much taller than Minami, and he look far more regal in his day to day wear than Minami could ever hope to look in his life. He had never met the Prince, all he knew came from stories overheard from the royal family’s meetings, like details about all the duties he took on at a young age, or how he excelled at everything he did.

From the stories Minami heard echoed throughout hallways, he was thoroughly surprised when Prince Viktor practically flung open the doors, engulfing the teen in a warm embrace. 

“Are you Kenjiro Minami from Yutopia?” Viktor’s words came off very eager - a little too eager for someone who supposedly didn’t know who Minami was, or that he was coming here at all. 

“Y-yes...I am!” The words tripped out of his mouth as he quickly bowed and stuck his arms in front, Presenting the letter to Prince Viktor. “This is for you, a letter from Prince Yuuri of Yutopia.” The Prince took the letter, nodding a signal of dismissal. Minami bowed, turning his back as Viktor pushed the doors closed, shutting himself in solitude inside the throne room. The feeling in the room was much different now from the usual booming cacophony that seemed to thrive there. Now it was quiet, almost lonely. Instead of crowds of royalty, it was just a solitary Prince and his thoughts. 

Viktor stood in shock. This was too good to be true, right? He had asked everyone he knew to keep him updated on anything and everything Yutopian related after the last suitor ball. Initially, there wasn’t anything aside from the usual kingdom-to-kingdom politics and internal affairs. Months went by without any mention of Prince Yuuri’s name, much to Viktor’s disappointment. Then, a month or two ago, Viktor started hearing whispers of Yuuri’s name. He would walk down the hallway and hear Yuuri’s name in hushed tones in the rooms he passed. Late at night, when he couldn’t sleep, Viktor swore he had heard the faint banter of Yakov and Lilia in the adjacent room, discussing in some length something about the Prince of Yutopia. Maybe he was just more aware, or maybe going insane, but the constant chatter had Viktor in a pleasant mood and with high hopes nonetheless. 

He carefully tore open the seal, doing his best not to rip the letter right in half. His hands trembled as he unfolded the paper, hoping this wasn’t the “thanks but no thanks” rejection he had seen before. Viktor read the letter, then he read it again, and again. He wanted be to absolutely certain he read it correctly. 

Viktor slowly walked over to his seat, eyes still glued to the letter in his hands. He took a seat with a complete disregard for etiquette, sitting with his knees up by his chest. He lifted his head and looked out onto the vastly empty room. Though many hazy thoughts popped in and out of his head, one was very clear: he was most definitely going to Yutopia as soon as possible. 

___________________

Chris and Prince Viktor had been lounging in a secluded corner of the royal garden grounds for nearly three hours now, discussing how soon Viktor could be in Yutopia professing his love to Prince Yuuri. Chris supposed it was less of a discussion, and more of Viktor gushing about how grateful he was that Phichit sent the letter, how cute and beautiful he thought Yuuri was, and how desperately he wanted to be there. They had covered the details and specifics of this journey early on in their informal meeting, so Chris just rested back on his arms, nodding and agreeing with whatever Viktor had said about “his Perfect Prince Yuuri”. 

___________________

Viktor was set to leave that night. His staff ran around, frantically trying to pack up as many of his belongings as possible without the King and Queen noticing. He told them not to worry about the larger things, it wasn’t like he was going anywhere remote; he could easily purchase anything that wouldn’t be going to Yutopia with him. The Prince stood in his mostly empty rooms, surveying them for the last time in the foreseeable future. He picked up his last bag, one which he would take on his person, and walked out, gently latching the door behind him. Chris, who had been waiting outside the room to escort Viktor out of the castle, greeted him with a nod. It was less of an escort and more of a last goodbye-for-now, Viktor thought. They left through a lesser known passage on the west side of the castle in an attempt to avoid unnecessary run-ins with staff who weren’t in the loop. 

Viktor set his bag down as they stood outside, the brisk wind whipping their hair around and disheveling their garments with every gust. He was the one to break their silent stares by wrapping his arms around Chris. 

“Christophe, my oldest and dearest friend, I am going to miss you,” Viktor mumbled into his friend’s shoulder. 

“And I as well.” Chris pushed them apart, holding the prince by the shoulders. “Now go get that fine Yutopian ass.” He winked, and gave Viktor’s shoulder a gentle squeeze, to which the prince rolled his eyes and chuckled. They let each other go, and Chris made his way back into the maze that was Petersburgia Castle. 

Viktor had just picked his bag back up and turned to walk away when a sharp yell struck his ears. He turned around, maintaining his composure. Yakov stood in the archway, face red and practically fuming. 

“Vitya! Where do you think you’re going? Come back here immediately!” 

Prince Viktor shot him a cold look shrouded with a false smile. “I’m going to Yutopia, I’ll be sure to write.” He turned on his heel and walked away. Nothing Yakov could say would change Viktor’s mind at this point, and they both knew it. 

“If you leave now, your standing with the people of Petersburgia will be tainted, ruined. If you go...don’t come back.” he stood, arms crossed and head bowed. His voice was much lower, but still just as intimidating. Yakov’s words, however, proved to be a failed last attempt. Viktor was already walking away, seemingly without a care.


	3. A Beautiful Stranger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prince Viktor is full of sass, Phichit is fantastic as always, and the King and Queen already love Viktor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's a schedule? (I wouldn't know.) Here's the deal friends, I just started working full time so I can afford to go back to college next semester so I will do my best to not have huge gaps between updates but please be patient with me I'm tryin :)
> 
> Once again, major thank you to the ever wonderful Katyaton. She's the reason these updates aren't full of errors and disjointed ideas (bless her fic writing skills).
> 
> Update edit: It's taking me a while to get to chapter four because I'm picking colleges to apply to transfer too! I promise I'll get it out as soon as I can :)
> 
> Thanks for stickin around, hope you enjoy!

If it wasn’t for the partial light of the moon and the few lights radiating from nearby shops, Viktor would have been standing alone, lost near the outskirts of town in agonizing darkness. He wondered how late at night it was. Too late he thought; too late to be wandering down unfamiliar streets by himself, and certainly too late to find anyone to act as a guide. Viktor was utterly exhausted. His limbs felt heavy, and his head was pounding from the lack of sleep. He was frustrated because really, how hard should it really be to find a castle? They were enormous buildings and yet, Viktor still couldn’t manage to find the damn- no. Pull it together, Viktor thought setting side that line of thought. He walked over to a nearby bench, sat down and drooped his head over the backrest. Viktor closed his eyes while exhaling deeply, contemplating if it was safe for a crown prince to get a few hours of sleep on a cold city bench in a foreign city. Yeah, that sounded nice...

Just as Viktor started to slip out of consciousness, a gentle hand clasped his shoulder. Had he not been so tired, Viktor would’ve snapped his eyes open and prepared to defend his person from the stranger, but he was desperate for just a little sleep, so he kept his eyes closed.

“Yes?” he sighed, a twinge of annoyance escaping with the brief response.  
“Prince Viktor? Why are you sleeping on a public bench?” a voice questioned, “I mean I know Yutopia is famed for being one of the safest cities but...c’mon, really?” The stranger sat down next to Viktor, hands in his lap but eyes focused on the prince. 

“Forgive me in advance but, who are you?” Viktor opened his eyes half way, peeking out at the blurry figure. 

The figure stifled a laugh. Of all the ways he imagined meeting Prince Viktor, this definitely wasn’t one of them. “Phichit Chulanont. Don’t worry, Your Royal Highness, I’m hardly of noble status, no need for formality, especially at this hour. But really, if you don’t mind-” Phichit motioned to the bench, then pointed at Viktor to reiterate his question. 

“Ah, I came here per the letter you sent on behalf of Prince Yuuri. I arrived earlier tonight but I’m in desperate need of sleep and have absolutely no idea how to get to Yutopia castle, so here I am.” Viktor sat up, leaning over to rest his head in his hands. He turned to face Phichit, curiosity peaking. “Speaking of, why are you out?”

“I was out for a late night stroll. I have trouble sleeping some nights.” He paused between thoughts. “You know, I was on my way back to the castle. Would you like to come back with me? Or would you prefer the bench tonight?” Phichit stood, grabbing the Prince’s bag and offering his other hand to Viktor. Viktor huffed a shallow laugh, gratefully accepting the hand and rising to his feet.

They walked in silence most of the way. It wasn’t so much a lack of conversational interest as it was a complete lack of energy. 

Phichit stopped them once inside the main entrance. “Your Royal Highness-” 

“Please, Viktor is fine. It’s far too late to bother caring about etiquette.” Viktor flashed a feeble smile as an attempt to convey his sincerity. Normally he wouldn’t allow such informal speech, but, given the circumstances, this was an exception. 

“Oh, alright!” Phichit chirped, “if you don’t mind, Viktor, I’d like to introduce you to King and Queen Katsuki tomorrow.”

Viktor’s smile brightened immediately. He grabbed Phichit’s hand, practically bouncing up and down. “I would be honored and delighted!” 

“Great! Now, shall I escort you to an empty room to stay in?” Phichit offered his elbow in a somewhat humorous gesture, and Viktor accepted by linking his arm with his newly minted tour guide. The duo wound their way through corridors and down halls, finally arriving at an empty banquet room. Phichit pushed the door open and flicked the light on. 

“Ta-da! Here it is, the largest, currently empty room in Yutopia castle!” Phichit had positioned Viktor squarely in the doorway, letting him take in the sight. Compared to the other banquet areas, this paled in size. The size was decent if used for its intended use, but serving as a guest room for a Prince, it was fairly cramped. 

After a prolonged silence, Phichit loosened their arms, gave Prince Viktor a firm pat on the shoulder, and gently nudged him inside the room. “Better than a cold bench!” Phichit quipped before leaving for his own room, shutting the door behind him. 

____________________

Viktor woke up late in the morning. He was still sleepy, and his body hurt from sleeping on the tatami mats instead of his usual bed. His eyes squinted open as sunlight streamed in from the top of the largest window. Viktor debated trying to get more sleep, but he knew from the angle of the sunlight that he had already slept too much today. He sat up slowly, cautiously stretching sore muscles and mentally adjusting to the new day. 

Muffled voices passed by his door as the early afternoon bustle began to pick up. He wondered if Phichit had told anyone of his arrival last night. Just how many people here knew that they were walking by the Crown Prince of Petersbugria. He laughed faintly to himself at the thought as he rose and changed clothes for the day. He hadn’t brought any formal clothing with him - it was all in bags that his staff was sending. Speaking of which…

Before he could get lost with that train of thought, Viktor noticed that the passing voices had changed. There was one particular speaker that was louder, presumably closer to the door. The voice was seemingly dismissing the other, quieter, voices. 

Then there was silence. Viktor froze. Did someone hear him moving around?

“Prince Viktor? Are you still asleep?” A pause, “Are you still even in here…” The person sounded almost...sarcastic? Ah, Phichit! Viktor released a hesitant sigh of relief. “Well, if you are, no one is out here, just me. So don’t worry about causing a commotion.”

Viktor cracked open the door, beaming at Phichit. “Hi! I must say, I have no idea what your job or title is here, but you seem to be doing a very good job.” 

Phichit nodded with a laugh, “Shall I take you to the Royal family room? I’ve already discussed a meeting with the King and Queen. I must admit on their behalf that they’re quite excited to make your acquaintance.” He gestured towards the hall, waiting for Viktor to step out. They closed and locked the door to avoid snooping, and began the silent walk. Seeing as it was day, and a few straggling staff flitted in and out of rooms, Phichit walked slightly ahead of the prince instead of escorting him similarly to their previous nightly stroll.  
As they made their way down different levels of the building, Viktor noticed he was attracting stares. He was used to it, in a way. As a highly regarded, admired, and sought after public figure, he knew that there were people watching him. But these looks weren’t like that. They felt more suspicious, more guarded; the usual admiration and awe had been replaced by wary passing glances. 

____________________

Viktor sat in front of King and Queen Katsuki, hands fidgeting under the table as his nervousness trumped his usual poised presence. Even though he had met many members of royal families during his career, Viktor felt like this was almost more important. 

“Prince Viktor,” Queen Katsuki began, delicately holding her cup of tea just above the table. “It’s so wonderful to finally meet you! We’ve certainly heard a great deal of your distinguished community standing. Our youngest, Prince Yuuri, has always looked up to you, idolized you. On that note, what brings you to Yutopia with such limited notice?” She had the warmest smile, the same smile Viktor had seen on Prince Yuuri at the banquet. It was oddly comforting knowing that warmth ran in the family.

“If I can be completely honest Your Majesty, I’ve come here for two reasons. The first being that I’ve seen what Prince Yuuri is capable of in the political and diplomatic scene, and I would highly value the opportunity to work alongside the Prince to increase his notability in other kingdoms.” Viktor paused, pondering how to tell Prince Yuuri’s parents that he wanted to date their son. To be fair, he very much wanted to be with Prince Yuuri for...well...ever, but he thought it wise to not show his feelings so outwardly, especially in a somewhat political setting.

“And the second?” Both the King and Queen looked at him quizzically, waiting for his next statement with a polite interest.

“I-” Viktor hesitated, knowing there was no way around this but aware it had to be said. He spoke slowly, “I would like your blessing to pursue Prince Yuuri. I met him at my suitors ball and he just, he swept me off my feet, quite literally.”

The Queen set her cup down and off to the side on the table. She rested her hands, palms up, halfway across the table, gesturing for Viktor to take them. He wordlessly followed her guide. The King and Queen shared a brief glance, nodding to each other in agreement on some unspoken idea.

Queen Katsuki gave Viktor’s hands a light squeeze as she spoke. “We would be elated to have you alongside our Prince Yuuri, as a foreign diplomat, and as a friend, or more.” She gave him a playful wink, and the King gave him a firm pat on the shoulder.

Viktor’s eyes lit up with a sparkle. “Thank you! I am so grateful for your support.”  
The three of them stood from the sitting room, each beginning to depart in their separate ways when Viktor abruptly turned back to face them. “Oh wait, one last thing I nearly forgot, would it be alright if my poodle, Makkachin, came to stay with me here? For years, he’s been by my side and -”

“Of course, Vic-chan.” The Queen responded with that same warm smile. “You know, Yuuri used to have a dog. He had a small poodle breed as a child. I’m sure he would love to have a dog around again.” King and Queen Katsuki turned, leaving the room and Viktor behind them. Viktor understood, they were very busy, and he was grateful for the time they made for him and the blessing they gave. He too, made his way out of the room. He had to find Minami and instruct him to send for Makkachin as soon as possible.

____________________

Prince Yuuri had been in the library all morning and the better part of the afternoon. His original intention was to get ahead on some legislation and trade paperwork, but as the day moved on, Yuuri found himself deep in a random piece of literature he picked from a shelf after returning from lunch. He had gradually started gathering pillows from around the library to create his own little reading nook tucked away in a far corner. 

It was here where Phichit nearly scared the life out of Yuuri. 

“Phichit! You can still knock even if the door isn’t fully closed…” Yuuri shot his friend a look before standing to meet him halfway.

“Sorry Prince Yuuri!” Phichit bowed quickly, bending at the hips, then sprung up to grab Yuuri’s hands. 

“Phichit...what brings you barreling into the library today?” His grip on Phichit’s hands tensed up.

“Yuuri, There’s someone here to meet you. Before you freak out, let me give you the details.” Phichit rubbed his thumbs in little, comforting circles over Yuuri’s hands. “Your guest is waiting in the private family gardens by the creek…”

“And their name?” Phichit paused before answering. He averted his eyes with a nervous laugh as he answered, “It’s Prince Viktor-”

“What?!” Yuuri was already running out of the library towards the gardens. He blew through the hallways with a reckless abandon, nearly knocking a few staff members over along the way. He didn’t care that people were staring as he ran to the gardens, robes slumping off his shoulders and face flushed. He knew he looked unsightly for a prince but Yuuri simply didn’t care right now.  
Yuuri reached the garden gate on the other end of the castle in a matter of minutes. He hunched over, resting his hands on his knees as he gasped for air. Yuuri felt like collapsing, and he still hadn’t caught his breath fully, but just knowing that the Prince Viktor was most likely waiting behind this gate was enough to have him flinging it open and rushing in. 

Yuuri didn’t have to put much effort in his search; Viktor was sitting in incredibly formal clothing, completely contradicting with his status, facing Yuuri’s direction. His garments were those worn by the everyday people of Yutopia yet somehow on him, they looked so much better. His pants were rolled up just under his knees as he casually dangled his feet in the stream that ran through the gardens. His hair was unkempt and hung loosely, covering part of his face. Everything about him was just...breathtaking. 

Viktor looked up, “Prince Yuuri, you came!” The sun hit his eyes as he moved, creating a sparkle that rippled through his piercing blue eyes. 

Yuuri stood agape, eyes unblinking and cheeks incredibly flushed (this time, not from the running). “P-Prince Viktor!” Yuuri stammered, “What are you doing here, and why are you wearing such casual clothing?” 

Viktor met Yuuri’s stare with a playful and flirtatious wink, then delivered his plan. "Prince Yuuri,” he said with incredible confidence, “starting today I’m going to help you further your political and diplomatic abilities!” Viktor stood and stretched out a hand. His posture was so elegant, and his pose looked even better when highlighted by the revealing clothes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You made it! Thank you all for the comments, kudos, bookmarks etc, you all give me the drive to keep this up.
> 
> As always comments are very welcome and very appreciated so don't be shy, come say hi!


	4. A King's Dilemma

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some background on the lives of Prince Yuri Plisetsky and King Yakov, and how they react to Prince Viktor's departure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...this chapter is way late, sorry. I had some big and exciting year 2-3 college plans to get sorted out before the fall semester begins.
> 
> Big thank you to [Katyaton](https://katyaton.tumblr.com/) for her fantastic editing!

King Yakov sat at a large desk in the center of his personal study. He was begrudgingly reviewing his agenda for the day; mostly routine check ins, reading proposals, addressing the public, etc. Unfortunately, at the top of that agenda, circled sloppily and underlined twice, was the name “Viktor”. Yakov hadn’t let word slip that Prince Viktor had left for Yutopia, mainly to uphold the image of the royal family and decrease the chances of public concern. He had also waited in hopes that Viktor would finally come to his senses and return home to Petersburgia.

_But it had been over a week and Viktor hadn’t come home._

Viktor hadn’t even made an attempt to contact them since his departure. Yakov rested his head in his hands and massaged his temples. It was only half past nine in the morning and Yakov already knew his day was going to be hell. Yakov had two major tasks at hand: a public address at ten o’clock where he would release an official royal statement about Prince Viktor, and a meeting with Prince Yuri Plisetsky, Prince Viktor’s hot-headed teenage successor. The plan was always to have Yuri succeed Viktor in the event that he could no longer perform his duties, but everyone assumed that was an _if_ , and that they had more time to prepare the younger prince.

_But now it was a very real possibility._

With a disgruntled sigh, Yakov stood from his desk, pushed in his chair, and walked to the door. He took his velvet coat from the rack and draped it over his shoulders, trying to organize his thoughts before giving the controversial statement. With any luck, Viktor’s disappearance would only cause minimal trouble.

* * *

 

Yuri had been instructed to attend Yakov’s public address. He hadn’t gone, of course, because it sounded stupid and like a waste of his time. He hardly ever went to these stuffy meetings when he was told to. More often than not, both Yuri and Viktor would skip and instead walk the garden labyrinths or take the horses out for a ride. Their most common outing was the beach near the castle grounds where Viktor had found a secluded area that he would take Yuri to on sunny days.

But stupid Viktor hadn’t been around lately. Yuri realized he didn’t actually know where Viktor had gone. He just assumed Viktor had been really busy doing whatever Yakov had passed off to him, which seemed like nearly everything lately.

Yuri walked the long hallways back to his suite, trying to come up with an excuse that would pacify Yakov as to why he “missed” the address. Maybe he could feign a stomach ache, or claim to have lost track of time.

“Yuri Plisetsky!” A very angry and loud voice boomed - and not just his first name, but his full name. Yuri stopped, recognizing the voice immediately as Yakov’s.

“Ugh, what is it?”

“You missed another address, do you know what kind of image that gives the public about the crown?” Yakov’s brows were furrowed so much that Yuri thought they might fall right of his face. He’d skipped plenty of times, and each time Yakov had come to lecture him, but never had Yuri seen the king this mad about the subject before.

“Why does it matter if I go when you have Viktor to parade around and show off? Everyone cares more about his appearance anyway!” Yuri folded his arms and gave Yakov a frustrated look. They both knew this was true; Viktor had been in the public eye since he could speak, and ever since then it was ‘Viktor this’, and ‘Viktor that’, or ‘what’s Prince Viktor doing now?’ The thought alone disgusted Yuri.

“Because Viktor has left, Yura. He’s been in Yutopia for just over a week now, claiming to be working with Prince Katsuki Yuuri. Viktor’s duties will now be your responsibility until he returns. Of course, you would have known this if had you shown up for once.”

“That prick! Only ever thinking of himself, ублюдок[1]!” Yuri cursed, storming off before Yakov could continue. Once he reached his suite, Yuri slammed the door, locking it to keep everyone out. He paced the room, unsure if he was more angry or disappointed with Viktor. He knew Viktor was spontaneous and liked to keep people guessing, but this was just stupid! What kind of established Prince abandons his people out of nowhere with no word of returning?

Fine, Yuri thought. If Viktor didn’t want to leave Yutopia, Yuri would go there and drag him back by the coattails if he had to.

* * *

 

_The Yutopian Tribune:_

_Surprise April snowstorm comes to an end making way for blue skies and warmer weather. Snow melt and sun brings rapid bloom, so keep an eye open for sakura blossoming in the coming weeks._

_His Royal Highness, Prince Viktor Nikiforov of Petersburgia, is spotted with His Royal Highness, Prince Katsuki Yuuri of Yutopia this week. The two were seen walking side by side through town visiting local shops before returning to Yutopia castle._

_His Royal Highness, Prince Yuri Plisetsky of Petersburgia, has arrived in Yutopia in search of Prince Viktor Nikiforov of Petersburgia. The fiery young prince claims he is here to “bring Prince Viktor Nikiforov home where he belongs.”_

* * *

 

Prince Yuri Plisetsky had made a hasty decision to, once again, disregard Yakov’s orders, and needless to say, Yakov was furious. News had broken almost immediately of a “fiery young prince” shouting in the Yutopian streets. Yakov wasn’t sure what to do, not that there was much he could do anyway. He would have to tell the Queen that yet another royal member had left, though she had likely already heard, as well as confront the press about Yuri’s Yutopian visit, which would be much harder to explain. With Viktor, Yakov could at least paint the situation as diplomatic. But Yuri didn’t have any such responsibilities, so his Yutopian visit would require a complicated explanation, and soon. The kingdom was talking, and rumors were spreading of the royal family's inability to maintain structure and control. If he didn’t work quickly, the king would be looking at much bigger problems than two defiant heirs.

[1] Russian: Bastard

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Find something funky? Drop me a comment and make my day. As always comments, kudos, bookmarks, etc. are very appreciated!
> 
> Also, catch me on [tumblr](https://voidglasses.tumblr.com/)
> 
> See you next time!


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